Intelligent design and educational stupidity

[wormburger]

“what escapes most commentators is that both Muslim and Christian views on Darwinism are a recent product of the attack on scientific certainty in the West….It is the argument between the proponents of science and its cultural relativist critics in the UK and the USA that should be our real target. Standing up for science now means being prepared

Comments

[ms_fashtali]

what might be just as useful is to teach some proper HISTORY to people, i.e. "this" is how many people died from bird flu in the early 20th century, but because we understand the evolution of viruses so much better we can now predict, track and possibly prevent the next outbreak...

This is polio, this used to cripple X many people, but due to the vaccine you rarely see people in calipers anymore.

This is the bubonic plague, this killed off millions, but strangely since science got the hang of germ theory, antibiotics etc, it doesn't seen to appear anymore.

Etc etc

[wormburger]

Yes indeed science should be put into its historical context as an essential part of progress, which I think comes across in the article.

science as a thing

[cov_cloud]

there's the difficulty. calling science a tangible 'thing' is probably what allows it to be so reviled (along the lines of religion) science and religion are catch all terms for wide ranging 'solutions' to facts of life.

Re: science as a thing

[wormburger]

I'm not sure what you're getting at. Where is science called a tangible 'thing'? Surely it not more tangable than, say History?History is not just one way of looking at the past, is it?

I woudn't call science a "soultion", it's a method of enquiry. Science and religion are NOT simply alternative ways of looking at the world. It's this perception that's so harmful.

Re: science as a thing

[cov_cloud]

I mean the media use of 'scientists' and 'science' has given us this etc. Its as though science is a benevolent force of some sort - rather than the approach that it is.

Its rare (though does happen) for someone to say 'history teaches us' - but people tend to be more specific, 'historians' don't get wheeled out so much - 'expert on XXXXXXXX' is more likely.

Religions some times get lazy 'lumping' as categories - but again you're more likely to see references to the specific faith.

Re: science as a thing

[wormburger]

I see what you mean now. Sometimes people talk about science as if it were an entity that sits in a courner handing out antibiotics and nuclear weapons. The technological fruits of scientific research get confused with basic research i.e. the search for knowlege and understanding. I even do this myself.

I get annoyed at the lazy lumping use of "scientists" to refer to specfic group of researchers, as it makes it sound as if all research was equally reliable, and all scientists had the same political agenda.
Thus the pollution problems or the explotiation of poor farmers are the fault of "scientists", rather than the coperations making the profits. Thus the "science bit" in a shampoo advert is just as valid as the studies on the MMR vaccine.